


Romance is for Pussies

by geeked



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-02-14 20:39:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2202318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geeked/pseuds/geeked
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Glenn returns from Woodbury having endured torture, Daryl is forced to come to terms with his feelings for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Romance is for Pussies

**Author's Note:**

> Long time no writing. So forgive me I'm a little rusty.  
> Kudos and feedback is ♥

Displaying emotion was foreign to Daryl.

It made him uncomfortable. _Vulnerable._

If there was one thing his brother taught him, it was that other people can’t be trusted. In the end they’ll always betray you and in this world that means putting an end to your own survival. As for romance… Daryl couldn’t play the part of a boyfriend, not even one of a lover. Sure he’d fucked around before, but sex was always as far as it went before he would bail.

_Romance is for pussies._

That was something Merle would tell him as if it were a principle. Daryl lived by it right up until the day he met a guy called Glenn. A guy that from their very first acquaintance would frequently glance in his direction and shyly smile at Daryl every time their eyes met. And every time Daryl would feel awkward, responding in the only way he knew how given his limited social skills; return a brief nod of acknowledgement, his expression remaining unreadable and emotionless.

But it was getting harder to contain his true feelings. Daryl learnt from an early age to suppress emotion. It worked well for him growing up, where anyone he could count on was few and far between; Mom died in the fire, Dad was a drunk and Merle came and went as he pleased. Which left Daryl to fend for himself most of the time. And it continued to work until the day they rescued Glenn from Woodbury and he came back bloodied, bruised and _broken._ Since then Glenn didn’t smile at him anymore, didn’t look up at him with those hopeful brown eyes or annoyingly linger near Daryl as he usually did.

Members of the group would try to comfort him but all Glenn could muster up was a weak smile and an “I’m fine.” All the while Daryl keeps his distance, enough to keep an eye on him without Glenn noticing. But he still felt the need to do something, _anything_ to create the light in Glenn’s eyes again.

For some reason Daryl _cared._ In a way he’d never cared for another living being before. For the first time he didn’t feel in control and it was unnerving. So for the first time in his life, Daryl decides to give in.

Which is how he found himself standing in the doorway of Glenn’s cellblock, causing a slightly surprised Glenn to jump up from his seated position on the bed and turn to face him in bewilderment. “What?” Glenn asks, his voice dry and croaky.

“Nothin’.” Daryl pauses to momentarily avert his gaze away from Glenn before abandoning his whole plan and turning to leave. Glenn pipes up from behind him, “Don’t go.” Glenn pleads quietly, “Please, stay.”

Daryl mulls Glenn’s words over in his mind for a few seconds. He replays the sound of Glenn’s voice; vulnerable and weak. This is exactly what he didn’t want to happen. To have someone _rely_ on him like this. To give them things Daryl just couldn’t give.

Daryl turns around, pausing halfway when he sees Glenn crowding his personal space. He was so close that Daryl could feel his body heat, Glenn’s scent filling his nostrils. Daryl knew he should back away, that he was in dangerous territory. But for some reason his brain wasn’t sending signals to his legs.

Instead Daryl slowly reaches out to touch his cheek before coming to his senses and beginning to pull back. Glenn meets him halfway; taking him by the wrist and placing Daryl’s hand against his warm, smooth skin.

“S’nice.” Glenn mumbles, embracing the touch while Daryl caressed Glenn’s skin with his thumb. Glenn suddenly steps backward, leaving Daryl’s hand dangling in the air momentarily, again grabbing his wrist and pulling Daryl by the arm further inside the cell.

And then they were standing facing each other awkwardly as Daryl knew it would be, and both of them not saying a word. Glenn bows his head and sighs, looking defeated. That was all it took to make Daryl finally speak.

“I wanted to see you.” Daryl admits, shocking even himself at the open admission, “To see how you’re doin’.”

“Oh, I’m okay. Just a little sore from the… you know…” Glenn places his hand flat against the side of his stomach, letting Daryl know the location of his main injury. Daryl eye’s briefly flashed with anger as thoughts of Glenn being tortured played in his mind.

He walks forward, almost standing nose-to-nose with the other man, “Let me see.”

Glenn hesitates for a moment, biting his lip nervously before obeying. He lifts his shirt up to reveal a massive, dark bruise spread across the right side of his stomach. Daryl can’t help but place his hand over it, causing Glenn to wince in pain at the soft touch, “Hurts.” Glenn mutters, letting his shirt fall to cover the nasty reminder of his captivity.

“Sorry.”

The corners of Glenn’s lips curved upwards into a slight smile. The first sign of emotion Daryl had seen him display in weeks. Daryl returned the favor, “Well, um… you should rest.”

“ _No.”_ Glenn snaps, abruptly, Daryl taken aback at his outburst, “I’ve rested long enough. Please just… _stay.”_ Sensing Daryl about to protest, Glenn continues, pleading, “We don’t have to talk.”

After a nod of approval Daryl lets Glenn lead him toward the bed where they both sit beside one another. Again things become awkward between them but Daryl didn’t feel the usual urge to run away. Instead he let Glenn lean against his side and rest his head on Daryl’s shoulder. They stay like this long enough for Glenn to fall asleep, his continuous soft breathing in and out alerting Daryl to his slumber.

Daryl didn’t want to wake him, so he maneuvered Glenn down flat on his back and brought his legs to rest atop the bed. He gently removed his shoes and placed them near the doorway, turning back around for one last look at a peaceful Glenn before he left. Now that he was asleep, there was no need for Daryl to stay.

Glenn was safe in his dreams, at least until daylight.

***

Daryl loved to hunt. He eats, sleeps and breathes it. It was all he knew.

He had his eye on the ball, ready to go in for the kill. Pulling back the quarrel carefully, he positions himself to hit the target. A twig snaps from behind causing Daryl to spin around quickly and kill what he suspects to be a walker.

But a stunned Glenn stood before him, trembling with his hands up defensively. Daryl immediately lowered his weapon and let out an annoyed grunt, “What the hell are you doin’ out here?”

Taken aback at his harsh tone, Glenn averted his gaze away from Daryl’s equally harsh glare. He shrugged in response, “You’ve been gone a while.”

“So what? I’m answerin’ to you now?” Daryl retorts angrily, he didn’t know what was angering him more; the fact that Glenn followed him or that Glenn was actually worried about him. “You my wife or somethin’?”

Glenn’s brow furrowed in anger at the suggestion, “ _Whatever._ ” He finally says in defeat and turns on his heel back to the prison. Daryl, expecting him to fire back is surprised as Glenn walks away. It angers him further and he can’t stop himself from following. Just as Daryl is about to shout ahead of him a walker stumbles out of nowhere right onto Glenn’s path, it’s grunting becoming heavier as it charges and falls forward on top of him.

Writhing beneath the creature, Glenn struggles to keep the walker from taking a chunk right out of his neck. He’s saved by the quarrel that flies right through its head, killing it instantly. Daryl pulls it off from above and tosses its lifeless body to the side. Glenn pants heavily as he looks up into the sky for a few seconds, eventually sitting up to catch his breath.

Daryl towers over him, reaching out a helpful hand to help him up. Glenn grabs a hold and rises to his feet while avoiding any eye contact. Too afraid to see the hatred in Daryl’s eyes.

Glenn had thought last night meant something. They hadn’t talked, sure, but Glenn knew Daryl wasn’t much of a talker and that never bothered Glenn. What bothered him was waking up to an empty bed, that Daryl hadn’t kept his word that he would _stay._

Last night he thought there was a breakthrough between them and that Daryl would maybe, one day, _finally_ reveal to Glenn what he really feels about him. That he’d tell Glenn that he too couldn’t get the other man out of his head. Or since the moment their eyes locked in the camp outside Atlanta, his heart would skip a beat at even the mention of his name.

So instead of giving in, Glenn mustered up the courage to look at Daryl determinedly and just do what he’s wanted to do for a long time; he charges right up to Daryl and crashed their lips together. It was rough, awkward and only lasted a few seconds before Glenn pulled back, his lips slightly bruised and anxiously awaiting Daryl’s response.

But Daryl didn’t speak.

He simply stood there, letting out a low growl like that of a wild dog. Daryl eventually took a step forward, eyes so piercing that it sent another single shiver down Glenn’s spine. He gave Glenn the once-over and Glenn recognized the familiar signs that Daryl was about to shut down emotionally, in turn shutting him out completely.

Glenn’s intuition turned out correct when Daryl picked up his crossbow and walked away.

 _“Coward.”_ Glenn muttered to his retreating back, whether or not Daryl heard him he couldn’t tell, but he continued on.

***

Daryl wanted to kill something.

He’d been circling the woods for over an hour, searching for a walker to put down. Not being able to vent his frustration had risen his anger to boiling point; walkers show up at the worst of times, but now when Daryl was searching for them they were nowhere to be found. Daryl violently threw his crossbow against a tree trunk; panting heavily and ready to burst.

Glenn had kissed him. Actually _kissed_ him.

And he did _nothing._

Daryl felt like an asshole, a pathetic, selfish asshole.

He had to go back, he had to tell Glenn he was sorry. That he’d been so stupid. That he had to kiss those plump, sweet lips again. He had to bury his face into the crook of Glenn’s neck and inhale his sweet scent. He had to rub his hands up the back of Glenn’s shirt and feel that soft, silky skin. Again and again.

So Daryl ran. As fast as he could all the way back to the Prison until he arrived at the outer perimeter, sweaty and out of breath. And then he spotted the one guy that made him crazy. The one guy that he almost let get away.

Glenn was standing by the fence and he was… _smiling._ And then he chuckled, dimples out in full force. It was only when he saw another man appeared alongside that Daryl realized what was going on.

Dr. Caleb.

_A.K.A Doctor Pretty boy._

Glenn was talking to Dr. Caleb. The man who has been harboring a crush on Glenn for months. It was widely known in the group and Daryl knew Glenn didn’t feel the same way.

But this doctor… Daryl knew he had other intentions.

So when Dr. Caleb took a step closer and placed his hand on Glenn’s shoulder, Daryl lost it. He charged over, looking as pissed off as ever until he came to stand on the opposite side of the fence. Glenn and Dr. Caleb both staring at him in shock at his sudden appearance out of nowhere.

“Everything alright?” Dr. Caleb piped up with his caring tone.

Daryl fixes his gaze right on Glenn’s concerned face, completely ignoring Dr. Caleb altogether. “I gotta talk to you.”

Glenn looked hurt, expression defeated, “There’s nothing left to say.”

It was then Daryl realized just how much pain he’d caused. That Glenn could be happy and the moment he saw Daryl he would fall apart.

“I’ve got a hell of a lot more to say.”

All three of them stood in silence for what felt like minutes until Dr. Caleb cleared his throat, “I’ll leave you two alone.”

_Yeah. Fuck off pretty boy._

As Dr. Caleb was walking away, Daryl passed through the opening in the fence and placed let his crossbow sit against it. Then Glenn appeared in front of him, hopeful and still in shock.

“Kiss me properly this time.” Glenn asked quietly, placing his hands flat atop Daryl’s chest.

Daryl obeyed, replaying the word on his mind.

_Properly this time._

He leaned in slowly, his heart beginning to beat fast as their lips met. Hands gripping the sides of Glenn’s waist and rubbing up under the hem of his shirt to caress his warm skin. Daryl’s tongue fought for dominance, taking control of the other man’s mouth as Glenn moaned and submitted to him.

Until they finally broke apart, foreheads together and wrapped in each other’s arms.

“I love you.” Glenn blurted out between breathes, wrapping his arms around Daryl’s neck.

Daryl paused for a few moments, taking in it all in.

It was here. The moment he dreaded the most. A single phrase has bound him to this person for life. To protect and look out for, to _love back._

Daryl didn’t know if he’d ever be ready to face this next chapter of his life.

But if Glenn was with him, he sure as hell was gonna try.

And to start with, he had to repeat those three little words.

“I love you.”


End file.
